Aidan Stanger wrote about a semi-fast Crossrail service to Milton
Keynes...


The kind of service I envisage would stop at Willesden
Junction to give cross platform access to the Tube.

Interesting idea, but... Wouldn't this involve major restrucuring of
all the fast and slow lines in the Willesden Jn area? Possibly even
closing Euston while it's carried out!

The disruption during the work wouldn't be popular with passengers.
After all, the current WCML disruption is bad enough, and you want to
make them go through it all over again!?!

wrote:

Aidan Stanger wrote about a semi-fast Crossrail service to Milton
Keynes...


The kind of service I envisage would stop at Willesden
Junction to give cross platform access to the Tube.

Interesting idea, but... Wouldn't this involve major restrucuring of
all the fast and slow lines in the Willesden Jn area?

Not all of them - the fast lines (currently used by Virgin) would be
unaffected.

Possibly even closing Euston while it's carried out!

Of course not! It would be done one track at a time. Apart from
rebuilding Willesden Junction station, all it needs is a bit of
diversion S of Willesden Junction so that the tunnel can surface between
the tracks, and a new flyover at the N end. Temporary flat junctions
could be installed to enable these to be constructed.

The disruption during the work wouldn't be popular with passengers.
After all, the current WCML disruption is bad enough, and you want to
make them go through it all over again!?!

No, not all of it - probably a weekend or two of rail replacement buses
on Bakerloo and Silverlink S of Watford Junction, and the trains might
take slightly longer for a while. Virgin Trains wouldn't be disrupted.

Aidan Stanger wrote about his idea for major engineering work in the
Willesden Jn area...


It would be done one track at a time. Apart from
rebuilding Willesden Junction station, all it needs
is a bit of diversion S of Willesden Junction so
that the tunnel can surface between the tracks, and
a new flyover at the N end. Temporary flat junctions
could be installed to enable these to be constructed.

[SNIP] probably a weekend or two of rail replacement
buses on Bakerloo and Silverlink S of Watford
Junction, and the trains might take slightly longer
for a while. Virgin Trains wouldn't be disrupted.

You seem very optimistic. But since most major civil engineering
projects end up taking far longer than predicted, I can't share your
optimisim! This would probably end up taking months just for
"rebuilding Willesden Junction station" alone -- never mind diverting
the tracks, putting up flyovers etc.

wrote:

Aidan Stanger wrote about his idea for major engineering work in the
Willesden Jn area...


It would be done one track at a time. Apart from
rebuilding Willesden Junction station, all it needs
is a bit of diversion S of Willesden Junction so
that the tunnel can surface between the tracks, and
a new flyover at the N end. Temporary flat junctions
could be installed to enable these to be constructed.

[SNIP] probably a weekend or two of rail replacement
buses on Bakerloo and Silverlink S of Watford
Junction, and the trains might take slightly longer
for a while. Virgin Trains wouldn't be disrupted.

You seem very optimistic. But since most major civil engineering
projects end up taking far longer than predicted, I can't share your
optimisim! This would probably end up taking months just for
"rebuilding Willesden Junction station" alone -- never mind diverting
the tracks, putting up flyovers etc.

I never said it wouldn't. The couple of weekend posessions would be to
install flat junctions, and a bit of third rail electrification so that
the trains can run on tracks other than those they'd normally use in
Willesden. This they'd do for months (probably taking a few minutes
longer than normal) while they rebuild the station and put up flyovers
etc.